


Welcome to the Sun

by Lothiriel84



Category: The Bunker (Podcast)
Genre: Awkward Conversations, Background Relationships, Friendship, Gen, Haircuts, I Don't Even Know, M/M, Smoking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-11
Updated: 2020-05-11
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:02:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24136297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lothiriel84/pseuds/Lothiriel84
Summary: There’s an open horizon before usThere is a rainbow under my eyesThe detector reads low radiationAnd you’re fearless to rise till you’re high
Relationships: David Knight/David Price (The Bunker), Tom Dalling & David Price (The Bunker)
Kudos: 1





	Welcome to the Sun

Out of the ten of them, Charlie was the only one who knew how to cut hair properly. When he perished in a plague victim attack, Alex had to step into his shoes, and he was fine, mostly, even though David for one resorted to shearing his own hair himself, with mixed results at best.

In the end, it was just the three of them, and they somehow settled into the established routine of Dave being the only one allowed to hold a pair of scissors that close to David’s face – something to do with Tom ‘snipping off too loudly’, among other things, as they gathered eventually – while Tom took care of Dave’s periodic haircuts. As for Tom himself, he’d long since stopped complying with the standard company-approved hair length, which meant he only required the occasional trim, and even then, he was more than happy to do by himself.

Dave’s hair was auburn and naturally wavy, which in many ways made Tom’s job harder, but he was still proud of his own handiwork. And unlike David, Dave was perfectly capable of sitting still without unnecessary complaints, and was gracious enough to thank him afterwards.

“You sure you don’t want me to return the favour?” Dave offered, even as he studied his own reflection in the mirror. “I don’t mind, honest.”

“Nah, I’m good,” he shrugged, sweeping up the hair cuttings from the floor. David was very peculiar about leaving everything clean and tidy after a haircut, even more so when he was in no way involved in the process.

“Suit yourself,” Dave acquiesced, tapping at the packet of cigarettes he always kept on his person. “Cigarette?”

“God, yes,” he accepted, eagerly. “Cheers, man.”

“Let’s get some fresh air, yeah?”

As they climbed past the Stones of the Deceased they paused, as if by common accord. “To our colleagues and friends,” Dave uttered, raising his unlit cigarette in mock salute. “May the contaminated ground of the Wasteland rest lightly upon you.”

“Amen,” Tom nodded, and followed him up the ladder. As they emerged from the rooftop hatch, they were greeted by the jarringly familiar breeze that tasted ever so slightly metallic; no welcoming hail of bullets from their friendly scavenging neighbours, no crawling monstrosity in sight for miles.

He patted his pockets for his dodgy lighter, only took four tries to light both of their cigarettes. “This is the life, man,” he laughed, stretching his limbs towards the unforgiving heat of the winter sun. “Should’ve brought a couple of beers with us.”

“There are only half a dozen left,” Dave exhaled with a puff of smoke, his head a shock of fiery curls in full sunlight. “And you know how David gets when we start drinking without him.”

“Yeah,” he sighed, going for the diplomatic approach. David was a bloody nightmare when they crossed him, which seemed to be happening more and more frequently those days.

However awful their current conditions, it was still better than total oblivion, or that’s what he used to say in the early days after the Big Headache. Now, with several decades gone by with nothing to show but a collection of new stones adorning their welcome mat, he wasn’t so sure anymore.

“David and I had sex two weeks ago,” Dave dropped the bombshell out of nowhere, his tone conversational, almost unnaturally so. “We might, again, at some point. I trust that won’t to be a problem?”

At a loss as how to react to such a casual announcement, completely devoid of any meaning or context, his attention focussed on such insignificant detail as the peculiar way Dave’s fingers flexed every time he was about to flick his cigarette. “I don’t – I mean – why?”

Dave stared back at him, his stance now somewhere between defiant and defensive. “You mean, why would I sleep with him, or why would it be a problem?”

“Why are you telling me?”

A shrug. “We’re stuck down there together, the three of us, whether we like it or not. There’s hardly much room for secrets when you’ll be sharing the same living space for gods know how long.”

“Right. Got it. It’s all cool, man. Honest.”

“God,” Dave rolled his eyes, and took another drag. “You sound just like David.”

“Look, I won’t pretend I understand whatever’s going on with you and David. If you’re happy then I’m happy, that’s all I’m saying.”

“Ha,” Dave shot back, clearly unwilling to elaborate any further. “That’s a good one.”

“If you ever need to talk,” he started, somewhat uncomfortably, only to be immediately cut off by Dave.

“I’m good. But thanks, anyway.”

They went back to smoking in silence, their cigarettes smouldering as the wind picked up. “Right. That’s enough radiation exposure for one day, I think,” Dave declared at length, stubbing out the butt against one of the supports holding the solar panels in place.

Tom dithered, taking plenty of time to crush what was left of his cigarette under his foot. “What’s a little radiation sickness between friends, am I right?”

Dave actually, genuinely burst out laughing at that. “I heard it works wonders for your hair, too.”

“No way! I worked really hard on that haircut, you know,” he was quick to remonstrate, shoving at Dave’s arm in mock offence.

“It’s just that my hair’s naturally amazing, you mean,” Dave smirked, running his fingers through it so as to purposely muss it up.

“Oh, yeah. I’d totally have sex with your hair, man.”

“Piss off,” Dave laughed, again, and made to open the hatch. “I’m cutting it myself next time.”

“Yeah, sure,” he huffed, even as Dave started climbing down the ladder. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”

“Are you two coming down for tea and biscuits, or do I need to come and fetch you myself?” they could hear David loudly grumble from the bottom of the passageway.

“Aye aye, Captain,” Dave shouted back, rolling his eyes for Tom to see, and they both disappeared inside.


End file.
